As part of the National Learning Network of health and wellbeing boards, a series of publications have been launched to support the establishment of well-functioning health and wellbeing boards.
The products, which launched at the Network’s national summit on 8 November, cover themes including integration, criminal justice, improving population health and patient and public engagement. They add to the extensive range of resources for health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) published earlier this year.
Sharing learning
In collaboration with the Department of Health, Local Government Association and NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, the NHS Confederation has been working with HWB learning sets to produce these resources, which are informed by key learning from shadow HWBs from across the country.
The new resources summarised below provide practical guidance and principles for these new bodies to consult and consider as they assume their critical role within the reformed health and care system:
Operating principles for Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies: Enabling joint decision-making for improved health and wellbeing. This co-produced report complements the Department of Health’s guidance and is designed to support areas to develop successful Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies. It provides operating principles to guide key processes and practical examples of how these have been put into practice.
Encouraging integrated working for adults and older people: a practical guide for health and wellbeing boards. Provides HWBs with some practical approaches to consider and use in promoting closer joint working.
Health and wellbeing boards: developing a local outcomes framework for adults and older people. Provides a visual map of each of the national outcomes frameworks for adult social care, the NHS and public health. It aims to help HWBs to develop local outcomes frameworks linked to priorities set out in Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies.
Health and wellbeing boards and criminal justice agencies: building effective engagement. This briefing details practical information and learning on building effective engagement between health and wellbeing boards and local criminal justice system agencies.
Improving population health: action learning for health and wellbeing boards. Demonstrates valuable learning of how others have addressed some of the difficult strategic and policy issues involved.
Patient and public engagement: a practical guide for health and wellbeing boards. Designed to help HWB members think through, plan and deliver their responsibilities in relation to patient and public engagement. It provides practical learning on ‘how’ and ‘when’ to engage, and ways this can work alongside the responsibilities of partner organisations, in particular local Healthwatch.
Support and resources for health and wellbeing boards. Provides information on organisations that deliver support and produce resources to enable health and wellbeing boards develop and operate effectively. It aims to spread networking and learning opportunities for health and wellbeing board members.
Download the learning set products from the NHS Confederation publications library or the LGA’s Knowledge Hub.
Golden opportunity
NHS Confederation chief executive, Mike Farrar, who spoke at the event on 8 November, said these new local bodies have a “golden opportunity” to bring together health and care leaders to jointly improve health and wellbeing, adding that the summit provides an invaluable occasion to share learning, test new thinking, and uncover practical solutions.
About the network
The National Learning Network for health and wellbeing boards is supported by the NHS Confederation, Department of Health, Local Government Association and NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, and was set up to support the development and establishment of health and wellbeing boards.